Draft:Abd al-Azim al-Hasani
| Abd al-Azim al-Hasani | |
|---|---|
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| Name | Abd al-Azim al-Hasani |
| Other Names | {{{other_names}}} |
| Personal Details | |
| Birth Place | Medina |
| Brith Date | 173 AH (789 CE) |
| Death Place | {{{death_place}}} |
| Death Date | 252 AH (866 CE) |
Abd al-Azim al-Hasani, known as Shah Abd al-Azim and Sayyid al-Karim, was among the scholars of Hasani Sadat and a narrator of Hadith, whose lineage reaches Imam Hasan al-Mujtaba (peace be upon him) through four intermediaries. He is described as a man of piety, known for trustworthiness, honesty in speech, knowledge of religious matters, adherent to Shia principles of religion, and a narrator. Shaykh Saduq compiled his collection of narrations under the title Jami' Akhbar Abd al-Azim. Abd al-Azim al-Hasani met Imam Reza (peace be upon him) and Imam Jawad (peace be upon him). It is narrated that he presented his faith to Imam Hadi (peace be upon him) and passed away during his time. The Shrine of Hazrat Abd al-Azim located in Shahr-e Rey is a pilgrimage site for Shia. In some narrations, the reward for visiting his grave is considered equal to the reward of visiting the grave of Imam Husayn (peace be upon him).
Birth
Hazrat Abd al-Azim al-Hasani was born on the 4th of Rabi' al-Thani in the year 173 AH (789 CE) in the city of Medina. He was the son of Abdullah bin Ali, a descendant of Imam Hasan al-Mujtaba (peace be upon him), with his lineage reaching him through four intermediaries[1].
Abd al-Azim was among the scholars of Shia and a narrator of Infallible Imams (peace be upon them), and was counted among the very popular and trusted figures near the [[Ahl al-Bayt|Ahl al-Bayt of Infallibility and Purity (peace be upon them)]]. His era, although it was the period of Abbasids rule and the creation of suppression and hardship towards Shia, yet the defenders of religion and guardians of the school who recorded and narrated the narrations of the Imams played a major role in protecting and preserving the sublime culture of the Ahl al-Bayt (peace be upon them), and this great figure is also considered one of the defenders of the radiant belief of Shiism who strove hard in preserving and disseminating the words of the Infallible Imams, and the numerous praises of the Imams (peace be upon them) for him indicate his high scientific and spiritual personality.
Respect Towards the Imams
"Shaykh Muhammad Sharif Razi" writes in his book regarding the respect of Hazrat Abd al-Azim towards the Infallible Imams (peace be upon them): "The behavior and generous habit of Hazrat Abd al-Azim (peace be upon him) was that whenever he entered the gathering of Hazrat Imam Jawad (peace be upon him) or Imam Hadi (peace be upon him), with utmost respect and humility and extreme modesty, while having taken his hands out of his cloak, he would greet those Imams with full respect, and the Imam, after answering the greeting, would call him near himself and seat him beside him; to the extent that his blessed knee would touch the sacred knee of the Imam, and the Imam would fully inquire about his conditions, which caused regret and envy in others."
Muhammad Sharif Razi continues to write: "One of the aspects of respect and reverence of Imam Jawad (peace be upon him) and Imam Hadi (peace be upon him) towards Hazrat Abd al-Azim al-Hasani was that they never called him by name and always addressed him by his kunya—which was 'Abu al-Qasim'—and scholars of literature say that kunya is established for glorification and honor and respect[2]; thus it is well understood that the Infallible Imams (peace be upon them) held so much respect for Hazrat Abd al-Azim, and this is nothing but that piety, virtue and knowledge combined with action of Abd al-Azim caused him to gain special popularity among the Infallible Imams."
Status and Position of Abd al-Azim from the Words of the Infallibles
Shaykh Saduq writes in the book Kamal al-Din: "When Hazrat Abd al-Azim (peace be upon him) attended the service of Imam Hadi (peace be upon him) and expressed his beliefs, the Imam said: You are among our true friends[3]." And the author of the book Jannat al-Na'im says: "A person named Abu Hamad Razi—from the Shia and followers of the city of Rey—despite the difficulties of that time went to Samarra and attended the service of his Imam of the time, Hazrat Ali al-Naqi (peace be upon him), and asked some questions. The Imam, while answering his questions, said: "O Abu Hamad! Whenever a problem arises for you in religious matters, ask Abd al-Azim al-Hasani for the answer to your problem and convey my greetings to him[4]."
Notes
Abdul-Azim in the Words of Islamic Scholars
The noble Sayyid, His Holiness Abdul-Azim al-Hasani, holds a high status among the descendants of the Imams of Guidance (peace be upon them) that most scholars and geniuses of the Islamic world, each in their own turn, have praised him with novel expressions and delicate statements; mentioning some of them here is interesting and leads to greater knowledge of His Holiness:
Sheikh Saduq writes: "His Holiness Abdul-Azim (peace be upon him) was a God-fearing, pious, and approved person by God and the Messenger of God (peace be upon him and his progeny) and the people[1]."
Sahib ibn Abbad (who was one of the scholars of Sunni and the minister of Fakhr al-Dawla) says: "Abdul-Azim al-Hasani (peace be upon him) was a man of piety, asceticism, God-fearing and religious, known for trustworthiness and possessing sincerity of speech, knowledgeable in religious affairs and eloquent in Tawhid, and Justice very much. In his time, in science, literature, virtue, knowledge and Piety, after his Imam, he surpassed all his contemporaries, no one had his status and he fully followed and emulated the Imams (peace be upon them) and among the offspring and descendants of His Holiness Imam Hasan al-Mujtaba (peace be upon him) no one reached his rank and position[2]."
Najashi also says in his book "Rijal" about the personality of His Holiness Abdul-Azim: "Abdul-Azim (peace be upon him), in a state of fear and flight from the Caliph, entered Ray and resided in the cellar of one of the Shia's homes; in that underground, which was his hiding place, he would fast during the days and engage in Prayer at nights[3]."
In the Presence of Three Imams
One of the important features in the life of His Holiness Abdul-Azim (peace be upon him) was that he was granted the success to witness the presence of three divine Proofs; Imam Reza, Jawad and Imam Hadi (peace be upon them), benefit from their teachings and convey their words and narrations to future generations.
When Imam Reza (peace be upon him) was in Medina, it was possible for His Holiness Abdul-Azim (peace be upon him) to meet Him; after the martyrdom of His Holiness, when Imamate reached Imam Jawad (peace be upon him), during the time that the ninth Imam was in Medina, this fortune and success continued for His Holiness Abdul-Azim (peace be upon him) to have contact and meeting with His Holiness and benefit from the knowledge of that great one. Sometimes he would ask his questions via letter from the Imam and receive written answers from the Imam.
The most abundant and sensitive period of the life of His Holiness Abdul-Azim was the era of Imam Hadi (peace be upon him); although Imam Hadi (peace be upon him) spent part of his life in a protected military zone and under surveillance, in Samarra and in that era, the possibility of Shia communication with His Holiness was less and accompanied by problems; but Abdul-Azim al-Hasani (peace be upon him) even at that time would reach the presence of Imam Hadi (peace be upon him) and take guidance from him.
Reason for Migration to Ray
The reason for the migration of His Holiness Abdul-Azim (peace be upon him) from Medina to Ray and residence in estrangement should be sought in the political and social conditions of that era. Abbasid Caliphs were very hard on Family of the Prophet (peace be upon him and his progeny) and Shia Imams (peace be upon them). One of the harshest and most ill-behaved of these caliphs was Al-Mutawakkil whose caliphate era, not only destroyed the shrine of Sayyid al-Shuhada (peace be upon him) in Karbala several times, but also prevented pilgrimage to his grave. Imam Hadi (peace be upon him) was contemporary with five Abbasid caliphs including Mutawakkil. Mutawakkil, to remain safe from the revolutionary anger of the oppressed people and prevent the gathering of Shia around the existence of Imam Hadi (peace be upon him), brought His Holiness from Medina to Samarra, so that he could monitor all activities and communications of that Imam. Even several times the Caliph's agents raided the Imam's house and with full audacity, searched that His Holiness's house. When such harsh treatments existed towards the infallible Imam, with that sensitive position, there was more strictness, fear and danger regarding their followers and next-level personalities.
Since His Holiness Abdul-Azim (peace be upon him) sometimes would reach the service of Imam Hadi (peace be upon him) in Samarra and benefit from his presence, the Caliph's spies reported their connection and following that, the Caliph issued an order for his pursuit and arrest and thus His Holiness Abdul-Azim al-Hasani to remain safe from the danger of the Abbasid Caliph, would hide himself from the eyes of the agents and would travel anonymously in various cities and this situation continued until His Holiness Abdul-Azim reached the city of "Ray" and intended to reside there[4].
Notes
Hazrat Abdol-Azim in Rey
Hazrat Abdol-Azim entered Rey as an unknown traveler and went to the house of one of the Shiites in the "Sarban" neighborhood, in the "Sekat al-Hawali" alley. He lived in the basement of that house for a while, and people were unaware of his presence. Only a handful of Shiites knew him and were aware of his presence in that neighborhood; they also strove to keep this news from being disclosed so that no danger would threaten his life. However, as time passed, more people came to know Hazrat Abdol-Azim (peace be upon him) and visited his home to benefit from his knowledge and narrations and to smell the scent of the Household of Infallibility from him[1].
Indeed! The Shiites of that region considered Hazrat Abdol-Azim a relic from their Imams and circled around the candle of his existence like moths, valuing his scientific and religious status, and resolving their religious issues and problems through him.
Virtue and Reward of Pilgrimage
The culture of Ziyarat in the Shia school is one of the fundamental methods of reviving the name and memory of great men, scholars, and the friends of God. Being present beside the graves of noble and prominent individuals is both a tribute to their purity, honesty, faith, and Jihad, and a way to take lessons from their lives and draw inspiration from their name and memory. Therefore, the many encouragements found in Islamic narrations regarding the visitation of the shrines of the Infallible Imams and great Imamzadehs are an educational and guiding directive. The visitation of the pure shrine of Hazrat Abdol-Azim Hasani (peace be upon him) has also been emphasized and noted in this regard. In a narration from Imam Hadi (peace be upon him), it is stated that whoever visits the grave of Hazrat Abdol-Azim (peace be upon him), God will reward him with Paradise[2]!
Also, in another narration, it is reported that a man from Rey came to Imam Hadi (peace be upon him). The Imam asked him: Where have you been? He said: I went to visit the Sayyid al-Shuhada (peace be upon him). His Holiness said: Know that if you visit the grave of Abdol-Azim Hasani, it is as if you have visited Hussein ibn Ali (peace be upon him)[3].
The fact that visiting Hazrat Abdol-Azim (peace be upon him) has the reward of Paradise or is as valuable as visiting Karbala is evidence and a sign of the high and exalted status of that great Sayyid before God and the Household of Infallibility (peace be upon them); because during that difficult and dangerous era, he was obedient to the Imams and spread the light of narrations and the luminous words of the Infallible Imams (peace be upon them) in various cities; therefore, his activity in such critical conditions was of special value.
Pure Gems
Hazrat Abdol-Azim (peace be upon him), in addition to knowledge, piety, struggle, high moral status, and spiritual virtues, was among the most reliable narrators of Hadith from the Household of Infallibility (peace be upon them). His name shines in the chain of narration of a number of hadiths on interpretive, jurisprudential, ethical, and theological subjects. At the end of this short article, as a blessing from the words of the Infallibles (peace be upon them), we will mention some of the hadiths that Hazrat Abdol-Azim (peace be upon him) heard directly from the Infallible Imam (peace be upon him).
Imam Reza (peace be upon him) said to Hazrat Abdol-Azim (peace be upon him): "O Abdol-Azim! Convey my greetings to my friends and tell them not to allow Satan to find a way and dominance over themselves. Order them to be truthful, trustworthy, silent, avoid futile arguments, meet and pay attention to one another; because these are the causes of drawing near to me. Let them not occupy themselves with enmity towards one another and tearing each other apart! I have made a covenant with myself that whoever does such a thing and angers one of my friends, I will ask God to punish him in the most severe way in this world. In the Hereafter, too, he will be among the losers[4]."
Hazrat Abdol-Azim Hasani (peace be upon him) narrates from Imam Jawad (peace be upon him) that His Holiness said: "Whoever visits my father - Imam Reza (peace be upon him) - in Tus with knowledge of his right, I guarantee Paradise for him before God[5]."
Hazrat Abdol-Azim says: "Imam Jawad (peace be upon him) said to me: 'Indeed, the Qa'im of our household is the same "Mahdi" who must be awaited during his occultation and obeyed during his appearance. By the God who sent Muhammad with prophethood and raised us to Imamate, if only one day remains from the world, that day will be so prolonged that Mahdi (may God hasten his reappearance) will appear from behind the veil of occultation and fill the earth with justice and fairness. God will rectify the affairs of the Wali al-Asr in one night; in the same way that He rectified the affair of Moses son of Imran in one night ... The best deed of our Shiites is awaiting the relief[6].'"
Notes
References
Death
The final days of the blessed life of Hazrat Abdul-Azim (peace be upon him) were marked by illness. That tall figure of faith and struggle had taken to his bed, and the followers of the Ahl al-Bayt (peace be upon them) were on the verge of being deprived of the blessed presence of this noble Sayyid. Abdul-Azim al-Hasani (peace be upon him), in addition to the suffering caused by illness, alienation, and separation from relatives, was heartbroken by the grief of successive calamities befalling the people and the bitter times of the Shia during the Abbasid rule. He would soothe his soul with constant remembrance of God and worship, bearing the burden of alienation and illness.
According to the famous account, the shining sun of Rey, Hazrat Abdul-Azim al-Hasani (peace be upon him), set on the 15th of Shawwal 252 AH (October 866 CE)[1], and following that, the enduring flame of truth and faith in that land extinguished. News of his demise spread mouth to mouth, and the people of the city all dressed in black, raising cries of weeping and wailing at his doorstep. Subsequently, the purified body of Hazrat Abdul-Azim (peace be upon him) was buried in that city amidst a huge crowd of people during the funeral procession.
For centuries, the magnificent shrine of Hazrat Abdul-Azim (peace be upon him), with its divine and spiritual appearance, has been the amber of eager souls and pure hearts, and the hearts of the people of knowledge have always circumambulated around his shrine like doves.
See also
Notes
- ↑ Same source, p. 122.
References
- Adapted from the website Biography of Shah Abdul-Azim al-Hasani (peace be upon him), Published 1 August 2015. Retrieved 8 October 2024.